As is known in the art, high density/power packaging of radio frequency (RF) modules in RF systems which include actively electronic scanned array (AESA) antenna systems presents challenges for thermal management and component spacing. The spacing of components in an AESA antenna is generally driven by the spacing of the array antenna elements (i.e. the physical distance between individual antenna elements which make up the array). The antenna element spacing is a function of the AESA operating frequency. Thus, the spacing of antenna elements generally becomes smaller with increasing RF operating frequency.
Often, in AESA antennas operating at relatively high RF frequencies, the available area (or footprint) in which to mount RF modules containing RF components (e.g. T/R circuits), is generally too small to accommodate a so-called panel architecture (i.e. an antenna architecture in which RF and other circuit components are disposed in a plane which is parallel or horizontal to the AESA antenna aperture).
One array architecture and associated construction technique for increasing the circuit density in an AESA antenna is to fabricate the AESA antenna system using a so-called “brick” architecture (also referred to as a vertical architecture). In a brick architecture, RF signals, logic signals and power signals coupled to the AESA antenna are generally distributed in a plane that is substantially orthogonal to a plane coincident with (or defined by) the antenna aperture. Thus, RF modules which house RF, logic and power circuits utilized in an AESA antenna system, for example, are said to be vertically oriented with respect to (or orthogonal to) the antenna aperture. This means that an edge of the RF module is mounted in a direction facing the AESA aperture.
Since in a vertical architecture an edge of the RF module is mounted in a direction facing the AESA aperture, the amount of surface area on the RF module typically available to conductively remove waste heat from the RF module is limited. Furthermore, a portion of this same edge is also required for electrical connections between the RF module and the AESA antenna. This further limits the amount of surface area on the edge of RF module available to remove heat from the module. Thus, in a brick or vertical array architecture, a relatively small amount of area on the edge of the RF module is available to help thermally conduct heat away from the RF module itself. Accordingly, a vertical (or brick) architecture, creates difficulties with providing connectors on the RF module and also with thermal management of the RF module.